The Swedish retailer showed that a simple catalog was a powerful tool, although after 70 years, it discontinues the publication of its printed sample book.
The decision occurs when the number of readers of the catalog is decreasing and the company becomes increasingly digital, when retail shines in the middle of e-commerce. After initially resisting online shopping, the company was forced to adopt it and its growth has been impressive.
Its online retail sales increased 45 percent worldwide last year and with 4 billion visits, while this year the channel has exploded.
That is why the catalog at this time is not preponderant and that it must evolve to convert a large part of its functions to digital. As other retailers Georgia Email Address have done in their catalogs, as in the case of Bodega Demurrer, Walmart, Historian, etc., who upload their catalogs to social networks and from which a large part of the sales has been extracted.
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The firm’s catalog is endearing because of its design, something like what happened with Toy’s R Us, which was essential for consumers throughout the 1990 s and early 2000 s. Its arrival at the mailbox during the summer holidays or Christmas allowed children to delight in new toys, and then arrive at their department stores.
In the case of IKEA, the first IKEA catalog was produced by IKEA founder Invar Kampala in 1951. It was at its peak during 2016, when 200 million mobile lead catalogs were distributed in 32 languages. A BBC documentary once claimed that the catalog was the largest publication in the world, with more copies in print than the Bible or the Koran.
“For 70 years [the catalog] has been one of our most exclusive and iconic products, inspiring billions of people around the world. Media consumption and customer behaviors have changed, and IKEA is already increasing digital investments, while volumes and interest in the catalog have decreased, ”said Konrad Grass, Managing Director of Inter IKEA Systems BV.
